Epistolary Friends
by Ninamazing
Summary: Dumb title, but BY ALL MEANS give me suggestions for change! Change is good. *grin* Well anyway, the title should explain things. If not, READ & REVIEW!!!! =)
1. Epistolary Friends I

**Author's Note: Hahaha...small Verdana is cooler than big Verdana. BUT I suppose y'all'll get real mad if I don't switch to big Verdana, because you can't see and everything. Well phoofish. But I will. For you. =) Okay. Big Verdana. For you. *grin* Now onto the story...I've always wanted to do one of these but it's never turned out right. So. Hopefully this one will. Tell me if you like it! And I might do a sequel. And I know the title's "Epistolary Friends I" which generally implies a sequel, but not necessarily. So pleh. Okay, okay, you can read now!! :)**   
**Oh...uhm...you can read in a second! but I just wanted to say that I would do all kinds of cool fonts with the letters but I'm not sure if you guys have them, so that's why it looks so boringly the same. The personalities are different, though! *brightens*******

* * *

Dear Jill,   
Hi ... you won't BELIEVE where I'm going to school now!! Seriously, though, I am *so* not making this up. I am now attending ... the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YESSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
Stop shaking your head, or raising your eyebrow, or whatever!! Trust me on this one. I'm not lying!! *sigh* WELL ... you can think that if you want, but I'm just going to tell you about it because I haven't written you in *so* long and I want *this* to break the silence. I'm going to break it up into sections ... because it's far too much to tell in one letter! And you better believe me.   
1. Acceptance Letter   
An OWL flies to your house - yes, an OWL! - and gives you this letter from Hogwarts, which has - well, I'm just going to copy it and put it in here.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL   
_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY   


* * *

  
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE   
_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Jones-Sieski,   
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please   
find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.   
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.   
Yours Sincerely,   
Minerva McGonagall   
Minerva McGonagall,   
_Deputy Headmistress_   
__

  


HOGWARTS SCHOOL   
_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY   


* * *

UNIFORM   
First-year students shall require:   
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)   
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear   
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)   
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)   
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags 

COURSE BOOKS   
All students should have a copy of each of the following:   
_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk   
_A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot   
_Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling   
_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch   
_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore   
_Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger   
_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander   
_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble 

OTHER EQUIPMENT   
1 wand   
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)   
1 set glass or crystal phials   
1 telescope   
1 set brass scales   
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad 

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS 

SEE? Now, does that look fake????? :) I'm so excited!!   
2. Diagon Alley   
Oh GOSH ... maybe I should leave this one for the next letter! There's so much to tell! Okay, well, that wouldn't be fair ... so where do I start?? Well, first, it's a like a *HUUUUUGE* shopping mall, only outside ... and it's got all these wizard shops, like Quality Quidditch Supplies and Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and Eeylops Owl Emporium and Ollivander's Wands - that's where I got my wand! Willow, ten inches, dragon heartstring - cool, huh? *grin*   
Well ... more later, because Mom's yelling at me from downstairs. One more week, and I'll be GONE!!   
much love from 54 Laurel Lane,   
Sandria *smilies*   


Dear Sandria,   
Well, sorry my reply was so late ... I'm hoping that your mom or someone will forward this to you because you never told me where to write to you at Hogwarts! Which, by the way, must be the most wonderful school - I can't believe I'll be sitting here with my boring old life while you're over there casting spells and things. It's depressing.   
However, that doesn't change the fact that I'm still going to Elfleaf Oak Junior High ... sounds so exciting, doesn't it? Heh. Well anyway, most of the people you knew from Redhollow are going there - will you miss anybody? - like, um, Andrea and John and Taylor and Chris and Ellie and Meagan. Martin and Tara aren't coming back, though. Martin's moving to Los Angeles and Tara's - I think she's spending a year in Mexico or something.   
First day is tomorrow, I'll write you about it when that happens! Write me about Hogwarts - oh dear, I really wish I could go there.   
friends forevah,   
Jillio the Jumping Bean   


Dear Sandria,   
First day at Elfleaf Oak wasn't so bad - there are some new kids, too. One of them, Maura, came up to me today really shyly and sat with me at lunch. Turns out she's in my math class, my french class, and my creative writing class! Which is pretty neat; I kinda like her. And all the Redhollow kids are generally pretty great, but John's now hooked with all these ninth graders and is acting like he's *so* superior, which is disgusting. Poor Andrea, I found out they'd been going out ...   
This is getting to be an extremely boring letter. Well, anyways, for teacher's we're not so well off - AHH! I just found out my little sister is now very obsessive about tennis tournaments. She'll sit in front of the T.V. all day to watch tennis. Tennis. Tennis. Help! And she's only 7. - because we seem to have a bunch of people that couldn't get a job anywhere else.   
Mr. Dulcin eats sunflower seeds all day, but Taylor says she saw him smoking in his car (a huge, huge, huge pickup truck) as he left. And Mrs. Santorino, our English teacher, is very ... odd. She dressed in a bright yellow dress and wore glasses shaped like stars. Now where did she get those?? But our creative writing teacher is at least pretty fun, Mrs. Elton, she's got a daughter in our grade, Jane - although I haven't seen her around yet. Wonder what it's like to have your mother teaching you. That would make ME switch schools!   
More later, once I find my way around this massive building ... yikes ...   
friends forevah,   
Jillio the Jumping Bean   


Dear - um, Jillio the Jumping Bean, *laughs* - Jill,   
Elfleaf Oak sounds so fun! I miss you all ... Hogwarts doesn't seem to be what it's cracked up to be, so far. It's *HUGE* ... and all of the other kids seem to know exactly what they're doing. It's so confusing - the stairs change sizes, the doors tease you, and there are even poltergeists and ghosts! The worst is Peeves - I think he's taken a special liking for me WHICH IS A **BAD** THING!!!! He comes up behind me in hallways - at least, they were hallways the last time I checked! - and grabs my hair, and pulls my bag down, and throws pencils at me. He's horrible.   
The Sorting was really full of nerves ... UGH!! ... but I guess I should start with the Hogwarts Express - you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? I'm sorry. It's a lot to take in at once, I guess.   
3. The Train ... aka the Hogwarts Express!   
You get through the station (right after Mum and Dad dropped me off, they wanted to stay and see me off but they had a brunch with friends or something) ... and there's all these Muggles (that's the wizard word for nonmagic people, I think) around - and I had *NO* idea how to get onto the platform, but then I caught sight of these two magical-looking kids (don't ask how I spotted them in the crowd! luck, I guess ...) heading toward Platform Nine (the Hogwarts platform number was Nine and Three-Quarters ... can you IMAGINE trying to look for that?? I didn't dare ask; I'd seem like such a stupid little child!!), so I crept up behind them and eavesdropped ... and they just walked towards the barrier between Nine and Ten. So I decided I'd try my luck because I *still* didn't want to ask! I walked towards the platform, calmly, just like they did, trailing my trunk full of STUFF behind me ... and suddenly, I was THERE! I was right in front of the Hogwarts Express!!!! It was *SO* cool, like something out of a book!!   
The train was *really* awesome ... I met this girl, Lucilla, or Luci for short, who came into my compartment, and there was a witch coming around with all this weird candy! Chocolate Frogs - I'll send you a box, I think you'd love those - and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans - yes, maybe a small jar of those, too, if I have enough - OOH! That REMINDS me!! I never told you about wizard money!!   
4. Wizard Money   
You can get it at Gringotts Goblin Bank - yes, *goblin*, and don't ever come near one if you don't have to, they're so scary!! - and there's - um, let me think - I think twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon - or something like that! The Knuts are bronze, the Sickles are Silver, and the Galleons are gold! Isn't that awesome?? I'm having so much fun managing my money now!!   
Right now, with the money Mum and Dad gave me for this term, I have ... let me check and count and all ... ten Galleons, forty Sickles, and twenty Knuts!! I spent ten Knuts on the candy - maybe going a bit overboard, but, oh well! They did give me a *lot*, considering. Hope there's someplace I can spend it! I still don't really know my way around here.   
Yeeps, this letter really went long! I'll tell you about the Sorting and my classes and all in the next letter, okay?? (And hopefully I'll be including Chocolate Frogs too! *grin*)   
much love from HOGWARTS! (ah, maybe it isn't so bad after all ...)   
Sandria the ... the Smiler!   
P.S. How to send me letters: um, it involves buying an owl ... maybe you'd better keep letting my parents forward it to you. Then I'll get you an owl for a birthday present or something. *smile* Okay? Thanks, Jill[io]!!   


Hey Smiler,   
Nice name ... I like it. Fits you very well - we always did used to say you laughed too much, didn't we? Well ... haha, I just reread your letter and it's so funny when you look at it! At the beginning you're like, "I hate Hogwarts it's so awful and mean and horrible and I MISS YOU!!" and at the end it's like, "Hogwarts is the BEST place in the ENTIRE world!" It's just funny - you're funny. I miss you. I don't laugh as much without you here; I'm the kind of person that only laughs when my best friend is laughing. That's you.   
Well what a nice depressing start we got off to! I'm really not as sad as it seems in my letters, I'm just not as - as excited as you. Plus it's a little weird to be writing each other instead of seeing each other every day. Also, I hate that summer's over, even though back-to-school is always fun!   
Hogwarts sounds incredible ... yes, you're right, I think Chocolate Frogs sound soooo cool! And I like the idea of wizard money too. You're right, it is like something in a book! Must be strange, though - it's like how you've always wanted to really live in a fantasy world and now you've been "accepted" into one! I can't help but wish I was there - do they take Muggle visitors? (Keep Peeves away from me. Shouldn't there be a spell to ward off poltergeists? Won't the principal or whatever take care of it? Who is s/he, anyway?)   
Tell me about Luci ... all you mentioned was her name! Is she in the same grade as you? Are you taking the same classes, or don't you choose your schedules?   
School here ... pretty much the same. I'm getting to be better friends with Maura, who is a really sweet girl!, and I met Jane Elton - remember? the daughter of Mrs. Elton the creative writing teacher? the good one? - who is pretty neat, I guess. She can be a snob at times, but I guess that's just her reaction to all the freebies she gets from the school for being a teacher's daughter. Ugh. Or maybe it's just my reaction to it!   
Chris and Andrea and I were the first ones into science today ... and we saw Mr. Banton, red-faced, looking like his eyes were about to pop out and staring at his computer in a fit of rage! It was so weird and even a little scary. We just sort of tiptoed out, but when Julia Miller went in he screamed and shrieked and yelled, then suddenly seemed to remember he had a class and left to mop his face off. Should we report him or something? I don't know. The "headmistress," Dr. Delaney, doesn't look like she could handle much. She couldn't even quiet us down at First Day Assembly.   
friends forevah   
Jillio the Jumping Bean   
P.S. The Jumping Bean thing is getting kind of old. Any ideas for a new nickname that I could use? Make it spiffy. That's your specialty.   


Dear Jillibean,   
That's your new nickname - *IF* you'd like to keep the Bean theme running. *laughs* If not - you liked gryffins once, remember? You could be Jillia the Gryffinlady!! *grin* Actually, that sounds pretty cool. But just tell me if you need another one ...   
School sounds so fun back there! I know it sounds to *YOU* like here is better - but I think we're both leading great lives. (Tell that to your depressed self.) Dr. Delaney ... haha, I just got an image of what she must look like!!!!!! If you can, send me a picture and I'll see if I'm right. Hee hee!!!!!!!!!! *chuckles*   
This letter's going to be looooong ... because I am SO behind and I feel like I want to tell you *EVERYTHING* but it's impossible!! Every day there's more stuff to experience ... it's pretty overwhelming, actually.   
5. The Sorting   
You try on this huge but battered wizard's hat, which sang a really clever poem that I *wish* I could remember and if I ever get it from anyone I'll copy for you, but anyways, it tells you what House you should belong in after poking around in your head ... which is kind of fun *grin* ...   
6. Houses   
Gryffindor (red) - brave, daring, nice, cool, funny, generally seen as the best house in the school   
Ravenclaw (blue) - the clever brainy geniuses. also a pretty good one!   
Hufflepuff (yellow ... I think) - the gossipers and the duffers. yuck! I'd hate to be in this house.   
Slytherin (green) - the EEEEVIL people. hateful, hurtful, nasty, malicious ... you name it! *shudders*   
You can earn points when you do something the teachers like, and lose points when you break a rule ... whichever house has the most points wins! Cool, huh? I can tell you're dying to see which house I got Sorted into. *evil smile* Maybe I should keep up the suspense and NOT tell you.   
Nahhh...that'd be too Slytherin-ish!! AGGHHH!! Okay, well, I put on the hat and it said ... (among other things) ... "GRYFFINDOR!"   
Kind of funny in my opinion because, did I ever seem very brave or daring or wonderful to you? *hmmms*   
7. Classes ...   
I might miss a few (OH! By the way, the Headmaster of the school is Albus Dumbledore - he's the most *AMAZING* person I've *EVER* seen, met, heard of, WHATEVER. There's this evil wizard, You-Know-Who (well, that's not REALLY his name, but we're not allowed to say the real one!), who took over the world once but everybody says this guy Harry Potter - who's ALIVE now and a seventh year!!!! - took his powers away and also Albus Dumbledore was the *ONLY* one You-Know-Who was afraid of (he didn't know Harry could do that yet ...)!!!! And I SAW Harry!! I sat three people away from him at the Gryffindor table!! And I sat near him in the common room (a kind of secret room guarded from all the other houses with a special door and a password and everything)!!!! But I think Dumbledore (this is about what you said about Peeves and couldn't they get rid of him) doesn't want us to live a completely sheltered life here, you know what I mean?? He wants us to learn how to survive - I KNOW that sounds *REALLY* dumb and tacky and corny and cheesy and whatever, but really - I bet if Dumbledore wanted to, he could make the school really easy to get around and let there be no obstacles or anything, but I really think he wants to teach us that Life. Is. Hard. And. That. Is. That.)   
Wow. LOOOONG parentheses!! *laughs* Sorry. Well, anyways, I might miss a few (OH! I just remembered something else - the Chocolate Frogs and the candy and the owl and buying stuff ... I am *SO* swamped with schoolwork *ALREADY* that I barely found the time to write you this letter! ... but this fourth year, Amy Cooper, is *really* nice and she said she'd get a pack of candy for you - and for me! - if I gave her the money because third years and up get to go to Hogsmeade - a WIZARD TOWN!! - so on Halloween - the first trip - I'll send you a box or two, okay?? Thanks!! This is really exciting now that I'm learning "the ropes!" and making friends!!!! (But nobody could replace you, darling, don't *ever* worry about *that*!!)).   
NOW! Okay ... I might miss a few, but (OH! I just ... gotcha! *laughs*) I think I'm getting all my classes here ...   
Potions (the teacher for this, Snape, is *really* nasty. he's head of Slytherin house, GO FIGURE!!)   
Astronomy   
Flying (yes, FLYING! with BROOMSTICKS and everything! there's even a SPORT ... I'll tell you about that later. *grin*)   
History of Magic (*snooze* taught by a GHOST ...)   
Defense Against the Dark Arts   
Herbology (this is AWESOME! definitely one of my favorites ... I love the plants)   
Charms (*incredibly* fun!)   
Oh, and about DADA ... they get a new teacher *every* year because the job is cursed!! This year's is Professor Idipid, he's - a little disturbing. For some reason he's *OBSESSED* with blood - wait, now that I put it down on paper ... he's a VAMPIRE! Ugh. Can't believe I didn't realize that before! Oh, now I feel stupid.   
Yikes ... long letter ... and Professor McGonagall, very strict, head of our house, just - oops! I forgot Transfiguration, that's her class! - came in to warn us all to go to bed. Darn.   
Well ... I can't believe it! :) That's all I can say.   
much love from HOGWARTS!   
**Sandria** the ~Smiler~

* * *

**Wow. Wrote this one faaast ... I really hope you were sorry to see it end!! *hopes hopes hopes HOPES* I LOVED writing this, personally - hope you felt the same way about reading it! And don't worry, I *am* going to introduce a plot ... that is, if I get enough reviews to do a sequel ...**   
**Dedicated to (who else???) Meagan, for all the great letters I've gotten from YOU! (and don't worry, I'm going to develop the character that's named after you ... *grin*) and the wonderful, LOVELY friend I found in you!! Love quite aplenty, to ALL of you!, from Ninamazing =)**


	2. Epistolary Friends II

**A's N: WOW! Thanks for all your really, really nice reviews ... sheesh, I just did it last night and already you guys are saying it's great! I can't stand it! You're all so wonderful!! =) Uhm ... "I Need to Know" belongs to Marc Anthony. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde belongs to Robert Louis Stevenson ... which I HOPE everybody knew already! Okay, I'll shut up and let you read ... *special* thanks to everybody who reviewed last time!!!!**

* * *

Dear **Sandria** the ~Smiler~,   
Hmmm ... I think I'm leaning towards Jillia the Gryffinlady right now. Thanks! I forgot I was so obsessed with gryffins - even though I still have my diary with that huge gold gryffin on the cover, flying over the forest - remember? I showed it to you once when you slept over ... haha, that was fun, when we each read each other's diaries! Remember how you got mad at me when you read the part where we were in a fight and I said some ... erm ... not so nice things? LOL! Sorry, but you know I didn't mean them ... and you didn't mean what you said either.   
Hey, I just thought of something - that was three years ago! We haven't fought since! Don't respond with "Maybe it's time then ..." hee hee, I know you too well. No, I don't have enough energy for a fight right now. Hee hee again.   
How's Hogwarts (All my paragraphs so far have started with 'H!' I should try to keep that theme running, and then maybe next time it'll be 'I' ...)? Have you talked to Dumbledore at all? He sounds like such an awesome person! Wish I could go to school with him. He'd definitely do something about "Crazy Mr. Banton!" (That's what everybody calls him now. Meagan says it should be "Wildly Insane and Violently Talented Mr. Banton," but John said he had trouble remembering.) Even though I'm not too sure I like the idea of him not trying at all to get rid of Peeves ... isn't he worried about you concentrating on your studies rather than ways to retaliate against pesky poltergeists?   
All your classes sound interesting (sorry, I couldn't think of a way to keep the 'H' thing running ...) and FLYING sounds awesome!! What's the sport??? PLEASE tell me! I don't use caps lock often ... so you know it's important for me to know this time! You know how much I love sports.   
Transfiguration? What's that? Do you change people into animals and stuff like that? Tell me! I need to know ... I need to know ... tell me baby girl - augh! I think I'm spending too much time around you.   
Anyways, my news: our history teacher, Mrs. Tory, is a complete ... well ... idiot! She's got those weird glasses with the strings hanging down, and she has a really squeaky voice. Worse, she didn't even know what the Arc de Triomphe was! She sent Andrea and Meagan to the office because they looked at each other in class and Meagan raised an eyebrow - I think that was right after she said, "History is the stuff of life," trying to imitate some opera singer ... I kid you not!!   
Ah, well. What have you been up to?   
friends forevah :o)   
-Jillia the Gryffinlady-   


Yo yo yo Jillia ...   
YAY! A letter from YOOUU!!!! *grin* I was so happy. What happened to you? You hadn't written for awhile ... well anyways ...   
OH! I remember that night I slept over - I LOVE that journal (even though rabbits are my thing ...)!! It was so awesome ... I think I did a story based on the cover. Want me to rifle through my endless notebooks and try to find it for you? *grin* It'll be a hard task ... but SOMEBODY'S got to do it ...   
Nope ... Dumbledore actually is kind of aloof. I hate to say that because it's usually NOT a compliment ... but I have yet to figure him out. He's a powerful wizard ... and something tells me powerful wizards are ALWAYS weird, whether they're for the good or the bad!!!!! And about Peeves - maybe he just doesn't want to. Or maybe he's teaching us how to deal with troublemakers like him ... ugh. Some way to teach us! But I guess it works.   
LOL about Mr. Banton! ... Um, I mean KAH-RAAAZY Mr. Banton!!!! I like Meagan's version, though. I miss her. I miss all of you ... darn. I keep coming back to this subject ... well on a HAPPIER note, I've made some friends! *grin* NOBODY could replace you guys EVER ... but I want to tell you about all of them so you'll know who I'm talking about when I mention them in something.   
Amy Cooper - she's the one who volunteered to buy candy & things for you from Hogsmeade - fourth year   
Erin Marcus - she's pretty shy but once you get to know her she is SO nice! she's also a great friend - first year   
Ben Hunter - he's Muggle-born, but he's very outgoing and friendly ... plus he's funny! - first year   
Salena Morgan - not quite sure how to spell her first name (um!) ... but she's very athletic and also funny - first year   
AHA! The sport ... is called Quidditch. Okay. *lauches into DEEEEEP explanation, this'll take AWHILE!*   
- field: sort of like a raised basketball court ... except the ground doesn't matter much (because it's played on broomsticks ... there are all different brands and things, the top right now is ... the GoldStreak800 I think) and there are six hoops, three on each side   
- balls: there are four ... the Quaffle (which scores ten points when it goes through one of the hoops, like basketball), the Bludgers (two big black balls that try to knock you off your brooms; they personally scare me to death!!!!), and the Snitch (a very, very tiny little golden ball with wings that flies around avoiding the eyes of everyone ... the player called the Seeker has to catch this ball and when s/he does, the game ends and the winning team gets 150 points ... games ONLY end when the Snitch is caught!)   
- players: The Chasers (three players who play with the Quaffle and try to get it in the hoops), two Beaters (players with big clubs that beat the Bludgers away from their team and try to get them attracted to the *other* team!), the Seeker (I explained that one already ... the one who catches the Snitch), and the Keeper (who guards the goal posts from the opposing Chasers and the Quaffle)   
- details: The games really revolve around the Chasers, the Quaffle, and the Keepers ... the Beaters just stay on the sidelines keeping control of the Bludgers and the Seeker's fifteen minutes of fame come when the Snitch is sighted! And it's *REALLY*, **REALLY** hard to see ... also, a teacher (usually Madam Hooch, the flying teacher) referees and each house has a team. Our Seeker's none other than HARRY POTTER (for some reason every time I mention him his name is in capitals ... I guess I'm just awed, that's all. But he's REALLY nice, too! *smiles*) ... he got picked to play Quidditch in his first year (which is normally against the rules; we're not even allowed to bring BROOMS! *pouts*) and he was the youngest Seeker in a century (besides defeating You-Know-Who thrice and counting and getting rid of the Chamber of Secrets and all that ... lol ...)   
OY! After all that I'm exhausted ... and it's 11:43 P.M. right now ... what, you don't believe me?? I stayed up late tonight memorizing the six potions of Healing and the seventeen things you can make out of Aiyabooga Weeds ...   
much love from HOGWARTS!   
**Sandria** the ~Smiler~   


Dear ~Smiler~,   
Haha ... well, what are they? Maybe I can learn two curriculums this year - Hogwarts sounds like a far more interesting school than Elfleaf Oak! Aiyabooga Weeds? Ho-hum. I'll just sit here in my clueless little corner and see if anyone notices.   
Yikes! You-Know-Who is the evil wizard, right? (What's his real name?? Can't you tell me just ONCE??? Oy.) And QUIDDITCH - oh my lord, I would LOOOOOVE to play that game!! It sounds so EXCITING! (I'm using the caps lock key more in this one letter than I've ever used in my life, probably ... lol! you got me so excited ... wish wish wish I could go to Hogwarts!!) Hmm ... if I were a Quidditch player ... I would probably be ... hmmm ... well, the Chasers sound really cool, and so do the Beaters (I like the idea that they're the only players with a means of defense against the Bludgers) ... I'd definitely want a GoldStreak800 or whatever the top of the line broom is! Do they change a lot? Well anyways ... maybe I'd be a Seeker. What does Harry Potter look like?? I wish I could see him play! Do you wizard people have a way to make videotapes or something like that? So I can see?   
Erin sounds a little like me ... and Amy sounds like the kind of person you tell everything to, know what I mean? ... plus Ben and Salena must be hilarious! Wish I had a little humor around here ... (well I do have Maura and Andrea and Meagan and Chris and John and Taylor and Ellie and sometimes Jane Elton ... plus I'm writing to Martin ... and oh yeah, there's another kid, Sammy, who's pretty nice - he can get wild though. I met him in a food fight ... lol!)   
Sheesh! Sounds like they work you a lot at Hogwarts ... it's 4:46 right now ... I got home from school about five minutes (I can walk this year! My parents also said I can pass by Savior Ave. and shop! Maura and Meagan and Andrea and I are going tomorrow.) ago. Hey - Halloween's coming up and I meant to ask you ... why can't you go to Hogsmeade? It sounds fun! Can you ask Amy to tell you all about it so you can tell me?   
Well ... guess what? John's having a Halloween party and he's inviting the following people (he showed me his R.S.V.P. list because I'm his "joint planner," lol!)   
Me - coming, of course!   
Maura - coming   
Andrea - coming   
Meagan - coming   
Chris - not coming, he has to take his little brothers trick-or-treating and his parents are being stubborn ...   
Taylor - not coming, she has a "prior commitment" which is what she told us ... but I'm beginning to get worried about why she didn't tell us ... I mean ... it's Halloween! ... but I guess she'll tell us or something ... plus she has a right to her privacy, right?   
Sammy - hasn't responded   
Ellie - missing the first hour for watching her little sister, but then she's coming!   
Marcus (Sammy's best friend) - hasn't responded   
Erin (a girl in ninth grade at Yaton Park High that John met somehow in his acting program thingy (?) ... did I tell you that E.L.O. (ElfLeaf Oak) goes from 7 - 12? Strange but pretty cool, I thought ...) - nope, hasn't responded (wouldn't you think that a ninth grader wouldn't want anything to do with us? but John doesn't think so ... he says Erin's different ... some of us are suspicious as to the fact that because John's so tall and a good actor, she played his wife in the play they did ... but that's another story! I'll tell you the whole saga later.)   
I'm not sure if we're done with the whole list, but remember John's gigantic attic? He's having the party in there! Isn't it so perfect?! I'm so excited!! And Maura's his "chief decorator" and Andrea's ... um ... I think she's the one who goes around screaming at people who haven't R.S.V.P.ed ... don't exactly know what to call that but she definitely does a good job! Lol!   
Yikes! 4:53! Time to empty out the dishwasher ... then get started on my essay on the clash of good and evil in 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' ...   
friends forevah :o)   
gryffins always!   
Jillia the Gryffinlady   


Dear ~Smiler~,   
Just a short little update because you haven't replied in awhile ... Hogwarts must be hard work! I feel only a little sorry for you, though, because it's probably not the least bit boring. Imagine ... having to do WORK on spells and potions and magical plants! I pity you not (sorry!).   
Well, anyways, John's Halloween party's in a little over a week!!! Here's the updated list:   
Me - coming, duh again!   
Maura - coming   
Andrea - coming   
Meagan - coming   
Chris - not coming ... except he said maybe he can weasel his parents into coming the last hour (10-11)   
Taylor - not coming ... and no, we still don't know what the "prior commitment" is - it's not like her to say that!   
Sammy - coming   
Marcus - coming   
Erin - still hasn't responded (and I'm going to tell you the full story with her as soon as you respond! because it might not be done yet ... hee hee)   
Rory (last-minute addition by John ... he's *very* athletic but kind of nice) - maybe for the last half   
And Dr. Delaney had a "serious talk" with Crazy Mr. Banton!! Meagan and Andrea tried to eavesdrop, but all to no avail. Meagan thinks she heard Dr. Delaney going, "violence is not an option ..." and Andrea thinks she heard "... to vent your anger" but I'm not sure. I sure hope he gets either (a) a memo saying "YOU ARE FIRED" or (b) a completely new personality!   
friends forevah :o)   
gryffins always!   
Jillia the Gryffinlady   


Sandria ...   
I'm really worried about you! It's one day before Halloween and I still haven't gotten anything from you! It's been nearly two and a half weeks! Is something wrong at Hogwarts??   
worriedly yours,   
Jill   


Dear Jillia,   
I'm so sorry I haven't written in so long! It's one day before Halloween as I write this to you ... and actually I think something *MIGHT* be wrong at Hogwarts!!!!!!!! It's a long story though, so hold tight!   
Did I tell you about Draco Malfoy? I'm not sure if I did. He's the biggest bully in the school and he has these two huge friends that walk with him everywhere, everybody calls them Crabbe and Goyle but I'm not sure if those are their real names or what. He's usually after Harry Potter. Well, yesterday I was asking Amy for advice on how to handle and organize all my schoolwork ... because the teachers are starting to give me stern looks whenever they hand out tests or quizzes and it's making me terrified! She said we should go back in a corner so nobody heard, and so we were behind the stairs which is usually our secret room after dinner, and once everyone had gone upstairs, we heard Draco Malfoy's voice - he'd lagged behind - talking to Crabbe and Goyle! Amy has a really good memory ... so together afterward we pieced together what we'd heard and wrote it down **RIGHT** away in the common room!!!!!!!!!! Here is is:   
Draco: Now remember, *I'm* going to do the potion. You just have to create a distraction.   
Crabbe (we think! I don't know them that well but Amy can detect voices pretty well): A dib - a what?   
Draco: AUGH! Does anything I say STAY in your stupid heads?! Here's the plan: stay in the entrance hall and wave your wands around and make a LOT of noise ... and Goyle, you say "Vocifus Uludium", that'll create the sounds of an explosion that should bring the entire school out there. Then I slip over to Harry's place in the confusion and drop the poison in, okay? Got that?   
Goyle: So I say Voki Uludum ...   
Draco: NO! Okay, never mind that ... just when we go in for the Halloween Feast, you two STAY BEHIND and make a WHOLE BUNCH of noise!   
Crabbe: Okay. I can make noise. In our common room?   
Draco: NO!!!! In the entrance hall! Got it?   
Crabbe: Uh ... yeah.   
Goyle: Sure, Master!   
Draco: Don't fail me. Let's go; Snape will be looking for me.   
Amy says all I have to do is tell Harry ... and I'm going to now ... so wish me luck! I'm kind of scared, actually.   
I did it! He **THANKED** me!! I **SPOKE** to him!! Now all I gotta do is chew on my nails until the feast tomorrow night ... please don't let Harry be poisoned! (And Ron and Hermione, his friends, talked to me too. Hermione says anytime I need help to come to them ... and she's the best student in the SCHOOL so I'm thinking of asking *her* for help about my grades, too! D'ya think I should?? *smiles* I'm almost really, really excited ... but I'm so, so scared about tomorrow. What if it was a trap? What if Malfoy finds out I told them and poisons ME instead?? I won't be able to eat at my first Halloween feast!! And Dumbledore's got dancing skeletons and a huge storytelling jack-o-lantern and EVERYTHING!! *deep breath* I'm really nervous.)   
I have to go soon but about the stuff in your letter:   
1. John's party sounds AWESOME! I kind of wish I could be there ... but the Halloween feast is going to be *SO* eventful ... perhaps more eventful than I'd like ... oh dear!   
2. Good going, Dr. Delaney!!!!!!!! Now fire him!!!!! *grin*   
3. What are you going to be for Halloween??????   
4. TELL ME ABOUT JOHN AND ERIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Even though I think I already know what you're going to say. *wink* I'm already laughing!!!! So did she R.S.V.P. yet?? Or Rory?? She BETTER! It's nearly time for the party!!!! Wasn't there an R.S.V.P. deadline or something, joint planner?? :) He's tall now? I don't remember him being tall. I guess he's grown ... I bet you all look so different ...)   
5. Did you ask / did Taylor tell about her "prior commitment?" You're right ... that's not like her at *ALL*. Of course I haven't seen you all in what ... a few months ... *grin*   
much love from HOGWARTS!   
and you're the best friend in the world ... and sorry if I can't write for awhile if the potion "gets me" because we still don't know what it does! Don't even think about what I'm thinking about ... *shudders!!!!*   
**Sandria** the [Harry-Saver ... LOL!!] ~Smiler~

* * *

**Ah ... hee hee ... a cliffhanger ... YAY! :) You liking this so far?? I am, but you know, I care about whether you do, too, of course! =P Anybody think there should be Tamora Pierce fan fiction?? (Random question again ... but hey ... where else can I ask these things? When you're answering also tell me about the fic. *grin*)**   
  



End file.
